Task force denies involvement in Ijora-Apapa mayhem 

The presidential task team on decongestion of Apapa ports has denied its involvement in the mayhem, which occurred last Thursday at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Lillypond Truck Transit Park at Ijora, Lagos State. It would be recalled that the incident led to the death of a truck driver with other drivers filing out in protest against the killing.

The drivers blamed the task force for the mayhem. However, Executive Vice-Chairman of the task force, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, condemned the violence even as he distanced the team from it.

In a statement he personally signed, he said: “We condemn, in strong terms, the ensuing violence which was reportedly escalated by some unscrupulous individuals and miscreants opposed to the operations of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit) task force in the area.

“We are deeply saddened by the violence and commiserate with the family of the deceased and other victims but it is important to state categorically that the Presidential Task team was not involved with the unfortunate incident. We therefore call on those spreading such false claims to henceforth desist.”

The task force also empathised with the management and staff of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) whose vehicles and offices were attacked in the mayhem and for not allowing the situation to adversely affect ports operations.